1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleaning method for removing a laminar deposit formed by an accumulation of polysilicon, amorphous silicon and the like in a thin film forming operational system of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and, more particularly, to a cleaning method adapted to clean a thin film forming system of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in a non-plasma state.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, when cleaning a thin laminar deposit accumulated in a thin film forming operational system of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, nitrogen trifluoride gas is used in a plasma state as a cleaning gas or a gas prepared by mixing about 5 vol % of fluorine gas with an inert gas such as helium gas, argon gas and the like is used in a non-plasma state as the cleaning gas.
3. Problems Presented by the Prior Art
However, such a conventional cleaning method employs an etching rate of about 2000.about.3000 .ANG./min in the case of a polysilicon laminar deposit and an etching rate of about 900.about.1200 .ANG./min in the case of an amorphous sylicon laminar deposit. Further, when employing a plasma etching process, there is also such a problem that a jig and the like might be damaged thereby.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning method which is capable of removing a laminar deposit at a low temperature and for a short time without damaging a jig and the like.